Civic Learning

As we work to empower every voice in our community and share the information, services, and opportunities that fulfill Oak Park's aspirations, we often get questions about being an informed citizen. Here are answers to recently asked questions about becoming a more engaged community member. Have a question not answered here? Tell us now >

Get a referendum on a future ballot

Illinois is one of 24 states that allow a form of direct democracy called ballot initiatives. A ballot initiative can be officially created when a petition to initiate a public vote on a proposed statute or constitutional amendment is signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters. Learn more about ballot initiatives and signature requirements in Illinois.

Be an informed consumer

The threat of identity theft looms large in the United States. Consider the numbers: in 2016, roughly 15.4 U.S. citizens were affected, with an estimated $16 billion stolen, according to Javelin Strategy & Research. From the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2014, about 7 percent of people age 16 or older were victims of identity theft, similar to findings in 2012. And a fall 2017 Equifax data breach may have exposed up to 143 millions Americans data, according to the company. A related dollar amount is still to be determined.

Here are free resources you can access from anywhere, anytime informing you on steps to take to protect yourself, and what to do if you are a victim. Want to speak to a librarian directly? Call our reference desk at 708.452.3480 during open library hours.

Oak Park residents interested in details of their Oak Park properties have a new online resource available through a Community Portal brought to you by the Village of Oak Park. Just by entering an address into the portal search window on a computer, tablet, or smartphone, users can link to a wide range of property-specific information, including zoning details, refuse collection dates, a list of elected officials at all levels, and more. Let's get started >